Things Left Undiscovered
by UndeadtoMe
Summary: Elena is working hard to follow her dreams & become a singer/songwriter. Damon is best friend and wants nothing more than to see her succeed. He secretly loves her and wants to be with her...does Elena share the same feelings for her best friend?


**Hi Guys! So of course I ship Stelena. But I definitely understand where my Delena shippers are coming from. This is a short story that I wanted to write after listening to 'Undiscovered' by Ashlee Simpson. The lyrics instantly reminded me of Delena, no idea why but it did. Of course I do not own this song or its lyrics and they belong to Ashlee Simpson. Check out the song btw its from her first album _Autobiography_.**

**Ok that's enough of me going on & on...Hope you guys like. Read & Review **

**xoxo,**

**Steph**

* * *

Damon closed the trunk to his Impala and wheeled the speakers & stereo equipment up Elena's porch. He checked the front door, which locked for once. He checked for the spare key taped underneath the porch swing and shook his head at how predictable his best friend was.

He walked into the house and left the equipment by the door. He instantly smelled her…all around the house...it just had her smell. He took a deep breath in and closed his eyes. He lingered knowing he had to clear his head if he was going to get through her showcase at the Grill tonight.

She's become a bit of a star on the singer songwriter front and had important music executives coming to see her perform later that night. He heard the guitar from upstairs; no doubt she was practicing a million times over and slightly freaking out.

He knocked on her bedroom door but she continued playing her guitar and singing. Damon turned the knob and his jaw dropped once he opened the door slightly. There she was in the middle of her room strumming her guitar, her giant headphones on blocking out all noise practicing a melody in nothing but her underwear.

He stared at her lean figure and her long brown hair tousled into a messy bun. She had on a bra and panty set that was reminiscent of a 50s pin up girl and he could see her tattoo that he never got to see since it was on her ribcage. He knew he shouldn't be staring...he knew he should've just closed the door and wait for her downstairs or text her saying he would meet her there. Just when his conscience was about to win she sang the most hauntingly beautiful lyrics.

_I give in…I breathe out…I want you…there's no doubt._

_I freak out…I'm left out…without you…I'm without….don't walk away._

Damon felt like his thoughts were being projected in front of her and were coming out of her lips. He closed the door and leaned his back on it. Why did she have to get into his head like that all the time? Every thought of his revolved around her and it wasn't fair that he couldn't be with her.

He took a deep breath...he wanted nothing more than to go inside take off her headphones (among other things) and tell her he loved her. He's been in love with her since he first saw her. He didn't try hard enough when he asked her out all those years ago; he was young & stupid and didn't realize what an amazing woman she was.

Mentally he told himself to get his shit together. He pushed the thought of them being together in the corner of his mind as usual and walked into the room. Elena shrieked and covered herself with the guitar.

"Damon! Ever heard of knocking?"

"Yes I have. But apparently you didn't hear when I did."

"Oh...well you scared me half to death. Turn around let me grab something to wear."

He did as he was told and faced the door. "Do you do that all the time?" He asked

"Do what?" She muttered while pulling a sundress over her head.

"Practice with no clothes on..."

"Sometimes..."

"Interesting." He replied while smirking because he found out a new fact about her...another detail he found adorable.

She placed her hand on his shoulder and turned him around. "Thanks for bringing your equipment...they're a million times better than the sound system at the grill."

"Uh yea...no prob –ahem –I mean you're welcome." He stammered as she let her hair down and combed through her locks with her head tilted all the while looking up at him. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair so badly, he stuffed his hands in his pockets to control them.

"Are you ok?" She asked with her brows furrowed and grabbing her guitar once again.

"Yea, I'm good. What were you working on before...sounded new."

"Uhhh yea it is. You'll hear it later. I just wanted to have something fresh and brand new for tonight...I gotta lay it all on the line."

"Why can't I hear it now?" Damon asked making a face of disapproval.

"I would just feel a whole lot better if you heard it for the first time along with everyone else."

"What? That doesn't even make sense...I always hear your songs before you premiere them!" He said now waving his hands in the air as he found her idea ridiculous.

"Damon stop with the dramatics...this time is just... different... now come help me practice with your system so I don't completely fail tonight."

"Speaking of dramatics. You're going to be amazing…as per usual. Now bring that shabby guitar downstairs I'll show you the basics." He said putting his arm around her shoulders and walking out of her bedroom.

* * *

Elena stood at the side of the bar nervously twisting her hands and fingers willing her palms to stop sweating. Word got around about her "big performance" and this is the most crowded she's ever seen The Grill.

There were four music A&Rs seated in the best seats in the house and she knew the empty table next to them was reserved for Damon.

She went into the back room feeling overwhelmed. How the hell was she supposed to sing that song in front of him? She lied when she said it was new...she wrote it 5 years ago after a year of knowing Damon. They attempted to date but everything went wrong and they awkwardly decided to stay friends...and now he was her best friend in the entire world and she was about to let all her feelings out in one night right in his face.

She even thought she was brave by putting it at the beginning of her set. This was her most emotionally raw song and she knew it could be solely capable of bringing her a step closer to her dreams.

She sat down on the beat up couch and placed her head in her lap. She didn't even hear the door open.

"I like it, power nap before the gig...rest up those vocal cords." Damon said approaching with caution; he knew how Elena was before each gig.

"I'm going to fuck this up...I have this gut feeling." She groaned with her head still down. Damon sat beside her and leaned close to her ear. He got distracted by the sweet floral scent that was coming off of her.

"You smell amazing..." he said just above a whisper.

She perked her head up to look at him. "What?"

"I saiddd you'll do amazing. Those people out there support you, they love you, and they want nothing more than to see you succeed...you deserve this shot at your dream. So stop wallowing in doubt and know that you'll rock this." He said.

Elena stared into icy blue eyes and believed every word he said. She always knew when he spoke from the heart just by looking into his gorgeous eyes.

She smiled faintly, "Thanks Damon."

He couldn't help himself and he brushed her hair behind her ears dragging his fingers to the very ends. She shivered and felt the goose bumps rise all over.

"Look if all else fails you can write commercial jingles or something..." he told her flashing a smile. She punched him in his arm.

"Shut up!" She yelled tugging at his shirt. They giggled as they poked each other and decided to start a tickle war.

Their friend Matt poked his head into the room and cleared his throat. "Hey Elena...you're on any minute now." Elena stopped tickling Damon's ear and told Matt she'll be right out. She got up & adjusted her outfit and let out a deep breath.

"Trust me you'll do great."

Elena gave him a look. He grabbed the sides of her face and stared into her eyes.

"Look at me; you're getting a record deal tonight."

She stared back and found she couldn't say anything. He literally took her breath away. She nodded and turned to walk out of the room and head towards the stage.

Elena felt the buzz of people chatting and cheering for her to come on stage. She walked up the stage and the crowd was literally roaring and screaming her name. It felt like too much for the neighborhood bar. She grabbed her guitar and sat on the stool. She smiled to all the familiar faces in the audience. She saw the faces of the music executives that seemed pleased with the crowd's reaction. Then she saw Damon's face, cheering and raising his drink to her. She motioned for the crowd to settle down.

"Alright guys…that was amazing to come out to. I'll send you guys the checks in the mail for making me look good." She laughed at her corny joke and silently thanked everyone for laughing too.

"I just want to thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for coming out tonight, spreading the word about my music, liking my page on facebook…tolerating me on twitter…the whole nine. So on that note, I have something new I want to play for you…"

Her audience went crazy with the news that they were going to hear something they haven't heard before.

"Um, I wrote this song about 5 or 6 years ago and always had it close to my heart…at the time I wrote it I was kind of stuck between a rock and hard place and these lyrics came out and definitely helped me out…forgive all the raw emotions jumping out this song haha. I hope you guys like it and find it relateable. This is 'Undiscovered'…"

Damon shifted in his seat. Elena avoided eye contact with him the entire time she was speaking and strummed the guitar strings nervously. He leaned forward on his elbows from his table and paid attention to her move.

"_Take it back, take it all back now_

_The things I gave, like the taste of my kiss on your lips,_

_I miss that now_

_I can't try any harder than I do_

_All the reasons I gave, excuses I made for you_

_I'm broken in two…_

_All the things left undiscovered_

_Leave me empty and left to wonder_

_I need you_

_All the things left undiscovered_

_Leave me waiting and left to wonder_

_I need you_

_Yeah I need you...Don't walk away._

_Touch me now, how I wanna feel_

_Something so real, please remind me _

_My love and take me back…_

_Cause I'm so in love with what we were_

_I'm not breathing I'm suffocating without you_

_Do you feel it too?..."_

Elena finished the entire song and looked up to see Damon staring at her. She smiled once the applause started getting louder. The music executives tabled were even cheering. Damon wasn't.

"Thank you. Thank you very much." She giggled and took a deep breath to continue with her set.

She stood at the bar with a beer talking with fans and signing the occasional autograph. She felt like she should be on top of the world, by the time she made off the stage and freshened up she had four separate meetings set up with record labels. Damon was nowhere to be found though…

She smiled a genuine smile to anyone that came up to her but still searched to see if she spotted him. She ran her fingers through her hair and sipped her beer nodding at what Matt was saying.

"Hey you…" she heard from behind her.

She turned to see Damon standing there as she breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't leave…he was just avoiding her.

"Hey yourself…where'd you go?"

"I just needed some air…it's packed in here."

"Uh yea…know what you mean. Hey do you mind if we could talk maybe in the—"

Damon stopped her from talking. He placed a hand behind her neck and pulled her lips to his. He kissed her with everything he had. And he felt like jumping for joy when he felt her arms wrap around his neck pulling him in closer.

She completely lost herself in that kiss. Her heart was pounding and the sound of her heart beating seemed to drown out everyone in the bar. Had she really been missing out on all of this these past few years? His tongue swirled around hers while his hand traveled slowly down her back. That made her knees incredibly weak and she struggled to catch her breath.

They were interrupted anyway when someone cleared their throat…obviously requesting their attention.

Elena broke free of their kiss and inhaled a huge breath of air. She stared into Damon's eyes for a fleeting moment before facing one of the music executives she spoke with earlier.

"Hi Jerry…"

"Sorry to interrupt…just wanted to give you my card before I left. Excited for the label to hear you next Friday, that opening song you performed tonight is a winner…I don't think you'll be 'undiscovered' for long."

Damon smiled and kissed her temple, "Told ya." He whispered.

Elena felt tears come to her eyes. She was beyond happy. She took the card from Jerry's hand. And introduced him.

"Thank you so much. I'm excited too! I'm being rude. Damon, Jerry. Jerry, this is my boyfriend...Damon."


End file.
